What is a background check?

You’ve probably heard of someone running a “background check” on someone else. A background check is the process of looking up non-confidential information about someone’s past activities, including their criminal history, work experience, education, debts, etc. When someone runs a background check on you, they may research your history by looking up public records about you, running an internet search on you, and even interviewing people you know!

Most commonly, background checks are done by private companies that specialize in investigating people and compiling information about them. Employers, private landlords, creditors, and other people often hire these companies to run a background check on you when you apply for a job, rent an apartment, apply for a loan, or volunteer at your child’s school! (For more information about background checks in these different situations, see the EMPLOYMENT CHAPTER (PG. 557), HOUSING CHAPTER (PG. 332), and FAMILY & CHILDREN CHAPTER (PG. 714).

DEFINITIONSBackground Check Reports & Background Check Companies

A “background check report” is the document that an employer, landlord, or other person sees when he/she hires a private background check company to run a background check on you.A “background check company” is a private company that specialize in doing background checks (and selling the information they gather).

REMEMBER: Your RAP sheet itself is confidential and CANNOT be included in most background checks. BUT some of the information in your RAP sheet—like the record of certain criminal convictions—may be public information, so the information can show up on a regular background check. For example, court records are public information, so a background check company can go to the courthouse and look up your records to find out about convictions.

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